The present invention relates to cross-linked siloxane polymers capable of being formed in a liquid reaction medium and solidified by heating. It also relates to the use of such polymers with salts (such as lithium salts) to create electrically conductive materials for use in batteries and the like.
Lithium batteries are used in medical devices, wristwatches, cell phones, and computers, and are of interest for powering electrically powered automobiles. They are particularly desirable because they deliver high levels of power per unit weight. However, conventional lithium batteries typically contained a liquid (such as polyethylene oxide) that acted as an electrolyte. If such batteries were to be used in automobiles or in an implanted medical device, there would be some risk that the liquid might leak, with resulting safety and environmental concerns.
For the above reasons, there is a need for solid electrolytes suitable for use with batteries.